Ultimate Maine Elopement Guide:
Table of Contents
Why you should elope in Maine
Getting to Maine
When to elope in Maine
Where to elope in Maine
Where to stay for your Maine elopement
Maine elopement day activities
What to pack for your Maine elopement
How to legally get married in Maine
What to see in Maine?
How to include family + friends in your elopement?
How much does it cost to elope in Maine?
Maine elopement photography packages
Why you should elope in Maine
The state of Maine offers gorgeous backdrops for elopement couples! Rocky coasts, mossy forests, mountains, peaceful lakes, roaring waterfalls, historic buildings, whale watching, you name it and Maine has it! This guide will walk you through everything, from where to elope in Maine to how to include your family and friends in your elopement day!
Getting to Maine
Depending where you are coming from, driving to Maine is a very easy and beautiful drive! Here are some examples of how far of a drive Maine is from NYC, Albany, and Boston.
From NYC, it’s about 5-9 hours depending what part of Maine you are staying in.
From Albany, it’s about 3.5-8 hours depending what part of Maine you are staying in.
From Boston, it’s about 1.5-5.5 hours, depending what part of Maine you are staying in.
Here are the International airports closest to Maine areas:
Portland International Jetport (PWM): The closest option to Portland. About 8 mins
Bangor International Airport (BGR): A good option if you’re traveling to the Bar Harbor area. About 1 hour
Portsmouth International Airport (PSM): Another great option if you are traveling to the York or Kittery areas. About 25 mins
When to elope in Maine
In my personal opinion, June through August is the best time to elope in Maine.
Spring (March, April, May)
Once April comes around, things really start to blossom and weather begins to warm up! With that comes a lot of bugs and unpredictable weather. The bugs are typically worst from mid-May through late June. However, Spring is quite beautiful, especially if you love flowers (hello lupines)! I personally find the rain moody and beautiful as well (crazy, I know)!
Summer (June, July, August)
This is my favorite time of year in Maine! Once the Summer truly begins, it can get pretty hot! This is an amazing time of year for the couples who love to do outdoor activities like swimming, kayaking, camping, whale watching, etc! This is the perfect time of year for a beach or lake elopement!
Fall (September, October, November)
The Summer heat and bugs are starting to lessen, and the Fall foliage is beginning to show! It’s a very busy time in Maine though once it is peak foliage, so it’s important to keep in mind. The Fall foliage can vary year to year, but it is typically around late September to early October. Things begin to die down in November, but depending on the town, a lot of shops begin to close for the Winter.
Winter (December, January, February)
If you want a Maine Winter elopement, it’s honestly quite beautiful. In December, many inns and towns are decorated with magical Christmas lights and there’s still a lot to do! However, in the later Winter months, like January and February, there is much more snow typically. Keep in mind that tourist towns such as Bar Harbor will usually close things down starting in November, so many restaurants and things to do will not be open. Make sure to research beforehand if you are looking into a Winter elopement.
Where to elope in Maine
Picking where you want to elope in Maine can be daunting as Maine has so much to offer! From the beaches, to the mountains, to the forests, to the lakes, there is something to offer for everyone!
I always location scout for my elopement couples beforehand to make sure that they have secluded and quiet spots in their locations!
My top 5 favorite spots in Maine (besides Acadia of course):
- Grafton Notch State Park – Newry, ME
- Cape Elizabeth – Cape Elizabeth, ME
- Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land – Cutler, ME
- Quoddy Head State Park – Lubec, ME
- Nubble Lighthouse – York, ME
Where to stay for your Maine elopement
Ivy Manor Inn: A cozy inn with charming interior set in the center of Bar Harbor!
Terramor: If you love to camp or “glamp”, you will love Terramor on Mount Desert Island!
Sandy Pines Campground: A unique “glamping” campground in Kennebunkport!
Ferncrest Acadia: If you serene vibes this is for you, it is just an hour outside of Acadia!
Harbourside Inn: A charming three-story inn with beautiful grounds!
Wolf Cove Inn: A romantic bed and breakfast that sits right along the water!
The Norumbega: This boutique hotel in Camden gives ALL the castle vibes!
Desert of Maine Campground: A quiet campground close to Freeport and Portland!
Victoria by the Sea: A quaint Victorian style bed and breakfast by the sea!
Salt Cottages: Adorable salt cottages near Bar Harbor!
Maine elopement day activities
-Hiking
-Explore Acadia National Park
-See a lighthouse
–See the trolls at the Maine Botanical Gardens
-Go on a picnic
-Enjoy a Maine lobster roll
-Write your vows together
-Stargazing
-Walk the Marginal Way in Ogunquit
-Relax + take naps
-Bonfire + make s’mores
-Pop some champagne
-Horseback riding
-Kayaking
-Walk on the beach/lake
-Cut a small cake
-Go swimming
-Go to a brewery/cidery/vineyard
-Fly kites
-Ride bikes
-Get ice cream
-Enjoy some local blueberry pie
-Go to a food truck
-Hire a private chef
-Relax in a hot tub
-Chase waterfalls
-Get tattoos
-Farmer’s markets
-Go blueberry picking (mid July to early September)
-See the lupine flowers (early June to early July)
-Play board games
-Read letters from friends + family
What to pack for your Maine elopement
You want to make sure to pack all of the essentials on your elopement day so that you can have a stress free day! This is just a few of the essentials, but I always provide my elopement couples with a complete packing list of what to bring so they don’t have to stress or worry about forgetting anything important!
- Good Quality Footwear
- Clothing Layers
- Marriage License/Black ink pens
- Permit (if needed)
- Travel IDs
- Vow Books
- Rings
- Bug Spray/Sunscreen
- First Aid Kit
- Water/Snacks
- Blanket
- Decorations/Props
How to legally get married in Maine
Marriage License:
In Maine, it is required to have the presence of an authorized public official or authorized member of the clergy and two other witnesses that each takes the other as his or her spouse. The officiant cannot be one of those two witnesses.
Maine Residents & Out of State Couples: If you intend to be married in Maine, you must apply in person for a marriage license to any town or city clerk in the state (if you are a resident, you must apply in the office of the clerk of the municipality in which at least one of you resides). Check each municipality to see what their specific policies are. The marriage license can only be used in the state of Maine.
Make sure to check with the town or city clerk to see what identification they will need you to bring (driver’s license, passport, state ID, etc).
Fees: The marriage license is issued by a town or city clerk in Maine, it costs $40.
No Waiting Period:
Your marriage license is valid for 90 days and can only be used within the State of Maine. There is no longer a waiting period from the time your marriage license is issued until your wedding can take place. The person performing the ceremony is responsible for filing the marriage certificate with the town office that issued the marriage license.
Signed Marriage License:
To make your marriage official, you will need to submit your signed marriage license after your elopement! Make sure to return your signed marriage license to the town or country clerk office that you issued the marriage license at, whether that be in person or by mail. From there, the town or county clerk office will process and register your marriage!
Permits:
A permit will depend on the location of your elopement. You will need to check with the specific park or land where you plan to elope.
For further information regarding the legal aspect of eloping in Maine, check out my blog below:
What to see in Maine
- Acadia National Park
- Bar Harbor
- Quoddy Head State Park
- Kennebunkport
- Cape Elizabeth
- Portland Head Light
- Deer Isle
- Cutler
- Portland
- Grafton Notch State Park
- Nubble Lighthouse
- Owl’s Head Lighthouse
- Ogunquit
- Camden
- Sebago Lake
- Old Orchard Beach
- Baxter State Park
How to include family + friends in your elopement
If you want to include your family and friends in your elopement, there are a few ways that you can do that! Here are a few of the ways that you can include those near and dear people in your life:
- If friends and family cannot make it or if you want to elope just the two of you, you can have them all write you a letter and you can open and read them together on your elopement day.
- Have a private vow reading and spend some of your elopement day just the two of you, but later on have a ceremony with your friends and family present.
- Spend a whole day just the two of you and then include your friends and family on the second day.
How much does it cost to elope in Maine?
An elopement in Maine could range from about $7,000 to $10,000.
Let’s take a look at a generalized breakdown.
Multi-Day Elopement Experience:
- $40 – Marriage License
- $200 – Permit Cost
- $6,500 – Photographer
- $1,000 – 3 night Stay
- $200 – Dinner and drinks for two
- $250 – Bouquet and boutonnière
- $500 – Hair and makeup
- $1,000 – Wedding Dress
- $250 – Suit Rental
Full and Half Day (AVERAGE) Elopement Experience:
- $40 – Marriage License
- $200 – Permit Cost
- $3,500 – Photographer
- $1,000 – 3 night Stay
- $200 – Dinner and drinks for two
- $250 – Bouquet and boutonnière
- $500 – Hair and makeup
- $1,000 – Wedding dress
- $250 – Suit Rental
Prices will vary based on location, permits, where you stay, activities you do, and many other factors. However, this can give you a general idea of what an average elopement can cost in Maine.
Maine photography elopement packages
I know this can be very overwhelming and a lot to take in! This is where I come in! Not only will I photograph your elopement, but I will plan your Maine elopement so that you can have a completely stress-free experience!
Elopement Planning:
- Custom Location Recommendations: I will send you a questionnaire that will give me insight into the locations that you are interested in and I will send you custom location recommendations based on what I think would fit you best!
- Permit Research
- Timeline Creation: I’ll help plan a general guideline of how the day should go so that you can have a stress-free experience while being able to do all of the things you want to!
- Vendor Recommendations
- Custom Elopement Planning Guide
- Packing List: I’ll send you a detailed packing list so that you don’t have to fret over forgetting the important things!
- Planning Portal: This is where we keep all of our documents and planning information so everything is easily accessible!
But most importantly I will create unforgettable moments throughout your elopement day so that it is everything that you dreamed of!
My goal is to make sure that you never have to turn to Google to do endless research and planning for your elopement! Let me guide you through every step of the process and let the stress melt away!
